Bottle opener



p 2 I v I. w. LITCHFIELD' 1 1 BOTTLE OPENER Filed March 21. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l C(ttomegs Sept. 17, 1929.

I, w. LITCHFIELD BOTTLE OPENER Filed March 21; 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZSnventor 4 16am; MAL-Wm.

(Ittorneg s Patented Sept. 17, 1929' UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE ISAAC 'W. LITCHIIELD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS BOTTLE OPENER Application filed March 21, 1928. Serial No. 268,850.

tively and generally in a more eflicientio'manner than devices heretofore known for e that purpose. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device which is adaptable to various sizes and shapes of bottles and is not dependent for its operation upon any particular configurations of the bottle necks. Another object of the invention is the provision of such a device which provides a leverage embodying a high mechanical advantage with a firm fulcrum so that the pressure required to be applied to the handle thereof is extremely light, and the device may easily be operated with one hand. Another 0l)]80t of the invention is the provision of such a device which may be formed by asmall number of simple mechanical operations on stock which may be economically secured, in order that the device may be cheaply manufactured and sold at alow price. p

Other ob'ectsand advantages of the invention wili appear as the description proceeds, and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which several different em bodiments of the invention are illustrated. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are illustrative only and the scope of the invention is to be. ascertained by reference to the claims appendedto the present specification.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention shown in operative engagement with a bottle about to beuncapped;

Fig. 2V is a partial sectional view of the same;

Fig. 3 is 9. pers ective view'of a portion ofxthe operating ever;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a second numeral 1 denotes a levermember of chanembodiment ofthe invention showing the same applied to a bottle with the operating lever in its retracted position;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the em-' bodiment shown in Fig. 4 in' a folded position with parts cut away;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the operating lever of this embodiment;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the invention inoperative position; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of said embodiment. J

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings,

nel cross-section comprising an elongated handle portion and an extension 2 at an obtuse angle thereto terminating in fingers 3 adapted to engage under and lift the cap of the bottle. Numeral 4 indicates a fulcrum member also preferably of channel shape, and so curved that one end 5 is adapted to rest on top of the bottle cap on the side opposite from the lever, while the other end 6 is adapted to rest against the neck of the bottle and is curved to conform generally thereto. The end 5 of the fulcrum member is preferably provided with a downwardly extending lip portion 7 which is curved to conform itself to the general contour .of the neck of the bottles.

The sides of the extension 2 of lever 1 are adapted to straddle the fulcrum member 4, and are provided with registering slots 8 which are inclined to the bodymf the lever 1 at such an angle that the long axes of the slots are approximately perpendicular to the bottle when the lever is in operative relation" with the bottle. cap.

The fulcrum member carries pivoting means such as the pin 9 which extends throu h the slots 8 in the lever 1 forming a sli ing pivotal connection. Suitable positioning means for the lev'erare provided, such as a spring 10 which is'attached to the fulcrum member by means of a lug 11, passes over the rivet 12; and is attached to the lever 1 by means of a lug 13. It will be noted that this positioning means normally urges the lever in a direction toward the bottle, and at the same time swings the lever to maintain the extension 2 be low its operating position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 4,5 and 6 ofthe drawings, a lever 21 and a fulcrum member 24 are provided which operate in a similar manner to the lever 1 and fulcrum 4 illustrated in Fig. 1, but the extension 22 of lever 21 is not completely separated into side members, and each side portion of the extension is provided with a circular opening 28. The fulcrum member 24 is wider than the lever 21 and isprovided withan opening 30 through which the extension 22 of lever 21 is adapted to project. The sides of the fulcrum member adjacent the opening 30 are provided with'slots 31 which are substantially at right angles to the bottle when the fulcrum member is in operative r lation thereto, and which are adapted to receive pivoting ineans such as a pin 29 which lodges in the openings 28 of the lever and thus forms a sliding pivotal connection between the lever and fulcrum. A yielding positioning means such as thespring 32 is wrapped around a central reduced portion of the pin 29 and bears at one end on the inside of the lever 21, and at the other end engages in/an opening 33 in the fulcrum member. The positioning member thus performs the three functions of retaining the pin '29 in place, urging the lever normally in a direction toward the bottle, and maintaining the extension 22 of the lever in its low ermost position. V

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7- and 8 of the drawings, a straight solid lever 41 is provided having a handle on one end and a sharpened lip portion 43 on the other end adapted to engage under the bottle cap. A1 opening 42 is provided in the lever adjacent-the lip 43, and a fulcrum member 44 is adapted to extend through said opening and to swing freely therein on pivoting means such as a rivet 49 fixed in the lever member. The upper endof the fulcrum member is adapted to extend over the cap of the bottle and to rest on the edge thereof opposite to the part engaged by the lip 43, and a spring strip member such as 47 is attached to the fulcrum member in any suitable way as by means of screws 50 and is adapted to bear yieldingly against the side of the cap. The fulcrum member is provided with an arm 51 below the lever 41 and substantially at right angles to the axis of the bottle when the opener is in operative position, and is-also provided with a downward extension 46 adapted to lie against and conform to the surface of the bottle neck. The rivet member 49 is so arranged in the fulcrum member 44 that the lever 41 may swing into parallel relation meagre with the arm 51, being spaced therefrom by the lug 52 on the lever.

Theoperation of the several embodiments of the. invention ares'ubstantially the same.

The device is applied to the bottle as shown for instance in F 4 of the drawings, with the fulcrum member cooperating with the top edge of the cap on one side, and with its other end resting against the side of the neck of the bottle. Pressure applied to the handle of the lever will then swing the opby means of the resiliency of the spring strip 47 which allows the bottle opener to slide horizontally to a slight extent during the operation of the device.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been shown in the drawings and described in the specification, it is to be understood that the drawings are illustrative only and that the scope of the invention is to be ascertained by reference to the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. lin a bottle opener, lever means adapted to engage under and lift one side of the cap on the bottle, and a fulcrum member therefor adapted to apply the reactive force of the lever to the top of the bottle opposite the lever and to the side of the bottle adjacent the lever.

2. A. bottle opener comprising a lever having one end adapted to engage the bottle cap, and a fulcrum member for thelever having one end adapted to bear on the edge of the cap and the other end adapted to rest against the side of the bottle.

3. A bottle opener comprising a lever having one end adapted to engage under the edge of the bottle cap, and a fulcrum member for the lever having one end adapted to bear on the edge of the cap opposite the lever and the other end adapted to rest against the side of the bottle.

4. In a bottle opener, a lever having one end adapted to engage under and lift the cap from the bottle, a fulcrum member adapted to bear on the top and side of the bottle, and connecting means between the lever and the fulcrum member adapted to allow the cap engaging end of the lever to follow the contour of the bottle'during its upward movement. 7

5. In a bottle opener, lever means adapted to engage under and lift the cap on the hotmeans tle, fulcrum means therefor adapted to apply the reactive force of the lever to the top of the bottle opposite the lever and to the side of the bottle adjacent the lever, said lever being mounted on said fulcrum for tion between the lever and fulcrum.

7. In a bottle opener, lever means adapted to engage under and lift the cap of the bottle, fulcrum means therefor adapted to apply the reactive force of the lever to the top of the bottle opposite the lever and to the side of the bottle adjacent the lever, and a pin and slot connection between the lever and fulcrum so arranged that the slot is substantially perpendicular to the neck of the bottle when the lever is in operative position.

8. A bottle opener comprising a. lever and a fulcrum member, the lever having a handle 'at one end and cap lifting means at the other, the fulcrum having positioning means at one end for engaging the side of the bottle and a shoulder at the other end for engaging the top of the bottle, the lever and fulcrum being pivoted together intermediate their ends. a p

9. A bottle opener comprising a lever and a fulcrum member. the lever having a handle at one end andmeans to engage under and lift the side of the cap at the other end, the fulcrum member having positioning means at one end for engaging the side of the bottle, and a shoulder at the other end for engaging the top of the cap at the opposite side from the liftlng means, said lever and fulcrum being slidably pivoted together intermediate their ends whereby the lever may adjust itself to bottles of different sizes.

10. In a bottle opener. lever meansadapted to engage under and lift the cap of the bottle, fulcrum means therefor" adapted to apply the reactive force of the lever to the top of the bottle opposite the lever and to the side of the bottle adjacent the lever and 1 resilient-means for normally depressing the I -cap engaging end of the lever.

11. In abottle opener, lever means adapted to engage under and lift one side of the cap on the bottle, fulcrum means therefor adapted to apply the reactive force of the lever to the top of the bottle op site the lever and to the side of the bott 0 adjacent the lever and a. spring cooperating with the lever and fulcrum to normally depress the cap engaging end of the lever and to slide the lever bodily on its fulcrum towards the bottle. I In testimony specificatiom l ISAAC W. LITCHFIELD,

whereof I have signed this 

